


tangled up (with you all night)

by seekrest



Series: The Secret Sessions [15]
Category: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Michelle Jones is a Little Shit, Peter Parker is a Little Shit, and they were ROOMMATES, canon nudged to the left, just two friends being pals, until they're not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:33:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28437672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seekrest/pseuds/seekrest
Summary: Peter was her best friend but he was also a terrible wingman, enough that any people she’d tried to show interest in would end up shying away with the assumption that they were together.Michelle just smiles at Harry, genuinely glad that he’s happy and moved on and knowing that she’d feel the same if she didn’t have the perfect storm of events to lead to making this week more terrible than the last.“I’m fine,” Michelle finally says, Harry nodding and smiling back at her before turning his attention back to his friends. She looks back to Peter who looks unconvinced.“Can we go home?”Peter searches her face for a moment before nodding, a soft smile on his lips.“Yeah. Let’s go home.”
Relationships: Michelle Jones/Peter Parker
Series: The Secret Sessions [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1537501
Comments: 14
Kudos: 67





	tangled up (with you all night)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MichellesBoh (michellesbohh)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/michellesbohh/gifts).



> Happy birthday my loveeeeeeeeee :)

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Michelle says, taking a long swig of her drink as Peter just stares at her. “Why, don’t I look okay?”

“You look amazing,” Peter says plainly, Michelle forcing down the bitter taste of the cheap beer they’re drinking down her throat. She can feel him staring at her, checking her out up and down in a way that thrills her but shouldn’t. She finally looks over to him, his eyes meeting hers as Peter continues, “But that’s not what I mean.”

“What do you mean then, Parker?” She says casually even if she feels anything but, looking around the crowded bar and avoiding his gaze.

“You know what I mean,” Peter says, not taking the bait as Michelle forces herself to look back at him - only to catch sight of Harry in her peripheral vision. 

Her throat constricts at the sight of him, laughing at some joke that his group of friends are going on about - only to catch her eye. 

Michelle feels embarrassed that she’s been caught only to immediately dismiss that as ridiculous. They’re adults. Their breakup was mutual and Harry had been nothing but a gentleman both during and after their relationship ended. 

It wasn’t Harry’s fault that Michelle was thrown off guard at seeing him again, his arm wrapped around the waist of a pretty blonde that she’s seen around his office. It wasn’t Harry’s fault that Michelle had just gone through a slew of terrible dates in the past week, each being more disappointing than the last. 

Harry being here was just the reminder that of all her friends, Peter was the only one available to come out with her. Cindy was very much occupied with her new girlfriend, Ned was fully immersed on some project for work and Betty was on vacation with her family in the mountains. 

Peter was her best friend but he was also a terrible wingman, enough that any people she’d tried to show interest in would end up shying away with the assumption that they were together. 

Michelle just smiles at Harry, genuinely glad that he’s happy and moved on and knowing that she’d feel the same if she didn’t have the perfect storm of events to lead to making this week more terrible than the last. 

“I’m fine,” Michelle finally says, Harry nodding and smiling back at her before turning his attention back to his friends. She looks back to Peter who looks unconvinced.

“Can we go home?”

Peter searches her face for a moment before nodding, a soft smile on his lips as he says, “Yeah, okay. Let’s go home.”

* * *

The subway ride home is relatively quiet all things considered, but Michelle’s mind is loud - her thoughts running in an endless cycle at feeling like of _all_ nights that she had to see her ex had to be the one night that she felt completely off her game. 

Peter for his part seems content to just walk beside her in silence, glad once again that they agreed to move in together after their respective breakups. It worked out in their favor, considering how long they’d been friends - especially since this meant that Michelle didn’t have to worry about wrestling around in her bag for the key that Peter now has. 

They walk up the stairs to their apartment in a continued comfortable silence, Michelle sighing when they finally reach the door - opening it and walking through as she slips off her shoes. 

“Feet hurt?” He asks, Michelle shrugging as she grabs the heels she’d hoped to have kicked off in a pretty stranger’s apartment rather than back here at home.

“Used to it by now,” she says off-hand, looking back to Peter who’s just staring back at her with a look on his face that she can’t decipher.

“What?” She asks, Peter swallowing something down in his throat before saying, “You look really pretty.”

Michelle rolls her eyes playfully, smiling as she says, “Thanks nerd. You look pretty too.” She gestures towards the two of them. “Sorry I wasn’t much of a wing woman tonight either.”

Peter shrugs, shoving his hands in his pockets as he says, “It’s fine. It’s not like anyone would’ve noticed me sitting next to you.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere, Pete,” she says with a grin, Peter laughing as he says, “Not flattery, just facts.” 

Michelle feels her stomach do a funny little flip, Peter seemingly catching himself staring at her before saying, “I’m gonna--”

He points towards his bedroom, Michelle nodding as she says, “yeah, yeah for sure. Goodnight.”

“Night,” Peter says, the two of them staring at each other for a moment before Michelle finally makes the first move to leave - the two of them walking in opposite directions towards their bedrooms. 

She gets to her door before pausing, swearing herself as Peter says, “Is everything okay?”

“The dress,” she says, looking back at him and seeing an unreadable expression on his face. She motions towards the back of it. “Cindy helped me put it on before she went out.”

Peter says nothing, staring blankly at her only to visibly swallow something down his throat as he says, “Do you uh, need—“

“Yeah. Please, if you don’t—“ she says, turning her back to him as Peter rushes towards her, stammering over himself as he says, “Yeah, yeah for sure. Of course.”

Michelle sharply inhales when Peter finally touches her at the base of her neck, slowly moving her hair aside before zipping it down slowly. If Michelle didn’t know any better, she’d think he was lingering-- glad in a way she shouldn’t that she’d worn the black lace underneath her dress, not that it was going to be seen by anybody.

Anybody except Peter now. 

“That should do it,” Peter whispers before clearing his throat, Michelle feeling heat travel down her spine and building in her lower belly as she turns around, holding the remains of the dress across her chest.

“Thanks,” she says, feeling slightly awkward even if she knows she shouldn’t. They’d seen each other in various states of undress as a consequence of living together, but something felt different tonight-- something she doesn’t particularly want to put a name to all things considered.

“No problem,” Peter says, scratching the back of his neck as he takes a step backwards. He hits the couch then, blushing furiously before turning back to her and saying, “Looks like I had a little too much to drink tonight.”

“Yeah. Same,” Michelle replies, though she knows for a fact that neither of them hadn’t drank more than two bottles between them. I’m gonna…”

“Yeah, yeah of course,” Peter says with a wave, bringing his hand down. He stares at her for a beat, the heat building once more from the intensity of his gaze when he says, “Goodnight, MJ.”

“Night Peter.”

Michelle walks back over to her room, closing the door behind her, only to lean back against the door as her heartbeat races.

_What the hell?_

* * *

Michelle couldn’t rightfully say that she was glad to be busy at work, not when her case load felt like a mountain that she could barely keep track of. But she was glad to be busy at work, if only because it gave her less of a chance to dwell on the not-quite-awkwardness of having seen Harry out in the wild, much less the not-quite-weirdness of how her and Peter had been to each other when they made it back home.

Peter for his part seemed just as busy, or gave off the appearance of it. Anytime she would think to text him about possibly meeting for lunch like they usually did, she’d get a news alert of Spider-Man fighting some idiot in Manhattan and since evenings were prime patrol time to begin with, it ended up being almost a week before they saw each other again.

Yet the week apart didn’t make it any less awkward when she finally did get the chance to see him, slipping off the sneakers that she wore on the subway as she closed the door behind her only to see Peter with his shirt off and in sweatpants, spoon in mid-air from eating some kind of sugary cereal she wasn’t sure was even FDA approved.

“Hey,” she says, feeling sweaty and self-conscious in a way that disorients her considering it was _Peter_. 

“Hey,” Peter says, blinking at her a few times before jumping down from the countertop and taking a bite of the cereal. “How was work?”

“Like work,” she says with a laugh, rolling her neck to try and get a crick out of it as she sets her lunch pail down on the counter that Peter had just been sitting on. “Glad it’s finally fucking Friday.”

“Yeah definitely,” Peter says, the clinking of the bowl in the background as she walks over to her room. “You got any plans tonight?”

Michelle looks back to him, seeing the hopeful expression on his face.

“Dinner and some Netflix maybe… why?” she asks, watching as he twists his lips together before setting the bowl down.

“I was thinking we should go out tonight. Again, at least. Since last week was…”

Peter trails off but thankfully doesn’t continue, Michelle being almost glad that he understood that last week had been just as awkward for him as it was for her.

Maybe this is exactly what they needed then, to get over whatever it was that had happened-- residual weirdness from having seen Harry, Michelle thought. 

“Anyway,” Peter interjects, scratching the back of his neck. “I just thought it’d be nice to blow off some steam. I know you’ve been busy with work this week and--”

“Yes,” Michelle immediately replies, Peter’s eyes widening slightly as he lowers his hand. 

“Yes you wanna--”

“Yes.” 

Michelle feels a hum in the back of her mind from how easily Peter smiles, looking a little relieved and pleasantly surprised as he says, “Great. Perfect, awesome well uh, I gotta shower but maybe we can hit up Hollow tonight?”

“Hollow sounds great, though I don’t know about you,” Michelle says, feeling some tension release from her shoulders, “but cereal isn’t gonna cut it. We could grab some pizza beforehand? Enzo’s?”  
  
“It’s like you’re reading my mind,” Peter says with a laugh, motioning towards the bowl of cereal. “This wasn’t gonna cut it but just in case you weren’t interested in hanging out, you know.”

“Loser,” Michelle says playfully, Peter just beaming at her. 

“I know what you are but what am I?” He jokes, Michelle rolling her eyes and turning away from him. 

“I’m gonna go get ready before you bring out any other cheesy jokes.”

“Brie careful, MJ. I’m full of surprises,” Peter says from behind her, eliciting a real laugh from Michelle as she walks to her bedroom with purpose -- feeling lighter than she has all week. 

* * *

Whatever tension she thought had been between them from last weekend’s weirdness is completely gone now, Michelle laughing to herself as they shared drinks at Hollow-- falling back into the easy and comfortable friendship that they’d built up over years. 

There was a reason they decided to live together, a reason why they’d become such good friends beyond being awkward teenagers. Peter was fun and energetic and a hell of a good time, making cheesy jokes somehow funny in a way that made Michelle feel lighter just by being around him. Yet it was clear from the look in his eyes as he laughed and the way he leaned in closer as they talked that Peter liked being around her just as much, a sense of warmth between them that felt easy and right.

Only for it to come to a complete standstill when Michelle sees Harry walk into Hollow once again, straightening up and stomach seizing in surprise at the sheer improbability of running into her ex twice in as many weeks.

Then again, Michelle thinks as Harry scans the bar only to spot her and Peter-- it wasn’t that unlikely since Hollow was one of the many bars they used to frequent.

Peter immediately notices her shift, eyebrows furrowing in concern as he whispers, “Is everything okay?”

Michelle nods, a tense smile on her face only for Harry to make his presence known - coming up behind them and clapping a hand on Peter’s shoulder.

“Pete! Long time no see,” Harry says with a genuine smile, Peter looking flustered for a half beat-- something that would make Michelle laugh if she didn’t want to currently crawl into a hole. There was no pretty blonde on his arm but Michelle hated what seeing Harry did to her, not so much residual feelings but a feeling of not being quite enough.

Something that Peter inexplicably shows on his face as he presses his lips together, turning to Harry before saying, “Hey, yeah. It’s been awhile.”

Harry turns to Michelle, warmth exuding from him as he says, “Were you at Above Ground last week?”

“Yep,” Michelle says, popping the p before forcing a smile. 

“I _thought_ that was you but I wasn’t sure. You were there one minute then just dipped,” Harry says goodnaturedly, Michelle’s insides churning for how damn nice he’s being. He has no reason to be-- Michelle’s the one who broke up with him because of a projection of her own insecurities. It bugs her all the same, especially since it was clear that he was moving on and doing just fine. 

“But I get it, why you didn’t come up and say hi. I uh, I don’t hold anything against you two but--”

“Wait what?” Michelle asks, thrown off guard from Harry’s tone only to be further confused from the awkward laugh he gives.

“Uh,” Harry says, looking between Peter and her, “Well, I don’t want to make this weirder than it already it is but you’re-- you two are dating now right?”

Michelle is flabbergasted in a way that’s completely foreign to her, wracking her brain to understand how Harry could’ve come to that conclusion only to be further thrown off when Peter opens his big mouth and replies, “Yeah. Sorry man, I know that’s a dick move.”

Michelle feels like she’s having an out of body experience for how Harry just laughs, clapping Peter on the back once more before bringing his hand down and saying, “Nah it’s fine. I’m surprised we lasted as long as we did really.”

He turns to Michelle-- never being more grateful that she has an excellent poker face than she is in this moment as he continues, “I thought we were gonna be over from the moment you introduced me to him.”

Michelle smirks, the alcohol in her stomach now sitting like dead weight as Harry shrugs.

“When I heard you two moved in together, it made sense.” 

Peter thankfully has the wherewithal to continue the conversation with Harry, seemingly sensing Michelle’s complete inability to do so as they continue to chat-- Michelle still reeling from the implications of what Harry had said.

Her and Harry’s relationship hadn’t been any great love story, but it threw her off to think that Harry had somehow picked up something between her and Peter-- something that from the look in Peter’s eyes and how quickly he pretended that they were dating, gave her the inclination that it wasn’t just to save face.

If anything, it made more sense for Peter to deny Harry’s assumptions-- to present them as the friends and roommates they were then in a relationship.

The fact that he didn’t and that he so easily carried the rest of the conversation from sensing her discomfort spoke volumes to Michelle, in a way that made her sling back more of her drink and excuse herself to the bathroom.

It’s not till she’s staring in the mirror, the low lights of the Hollow’s bathroom tinting everything an absurd shade of blue that Michelle truly starts to reckon with what all of this might mean.

* * *

By the time they make it home, Michelle’s stomach is twisting itself into knots-- not from the pizza or the alcohol but from the relative silence between them. Harry inserted himself into their little night out for far longer than he probably should’ve, Michelle relying on her acting skills from back in college to pretend that she was okay even if it was clear to Peter that she wasn’t.

When he finally got distracted, Peter gave the out of having them leave-- far earlier than either of them likely had planned but something Michelle jumped at. 

Only to regret it now that they were back in their apartment so early, a tension in the air that Michelle wasn’t sure she was comfortable putting a name to.

“So.” 

Michelle could laugh but doesn’t, looking at Peter as she sets her keys down on the counter. 

“So,” she responds as Peter locks the door behind him, slipping off his shoes as Michelle takes off her heels. “That was… interesting.”

Peter lets out a huff. “That’s one word for it.”

“He was super chatty,” Michelle says, fingers tapping against the fabric of her heel. “Thanks by the way, for the save.”

Peter waves a hand. “Oh yeah, of course. Yeah, I uh, I could tell you weren’t exactly interested in talking.”

“I wasn’t,” Michelle affirms, Peter just nodding awkwardly. 

They stand there in silence for a few second, only to both try and speak at the same time.

“I just--”

“Thanks for--”

Peter puts his hands out in front of him, gesturing for her to continue as he says, “You go first.”

“I was just gonna say thanks again. For talking with him,” Michelle says, chewing the inside of her cheek before asking, “Though uh, don’t think we had to pretend to be dating.”

Peter winces, scratching the back of his neck again as he says, “Yeah, yeah, sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable at all. I just uh, thought that was probably the best way to shut him up.”

Peter laughs, shoving his hands in his pocket. “Doesn’t look like it worked.”

Michelle smirks, fiddling with her heel before saying, “It didn’t make me feel uncomfortable.”

Peter meets her eyes, Michelle continuing, “It’s funny, what he said though.”

“What?” Peter asks, sounding almost breathless if Michelle didn’t know any better.

“That he thought something was between us,” Michelle says quietly, the air shifting between them and feeling like the temperature had risen ten degrees. 

“Yeah,” Peter says with a laugh that Michelle thinks sounded sad, “funny.”

Michelle feels conflicted, a hope that she hadn’t ever thought to hope building in the back of her mind only for it to be squashed when Peter says, “Um, well, sorry for the weird night. I’ll uh, I’m gonna take a shower first. If you don’t mind.”

“No, of course not,” Michelle says, twisting her hand around her heel as Peter watches with rapt attention-- only for Michelle to realize what it must look like just as Peter does as he meets her gaze.

“I’ll uh…”

“Yeah, I should--”

Peter walks forward, just as Michelle goes to walk to her room-- the two of them crossing each other as Michelle sharply inhales.

It’s like gravity, like a magnetic force beyond any comprehension that brings her closer to him-- some rational part of her brain shutting down as she looks into his eyes. Before she can second guess it or talk herself out of it or wonder if she’s making it all up in her head, she rushes forward-- relief and exhilaration flowing in equal measures when Peter does the same, crashing his lips onto hers.

The heat in the room skyrockets as he presses himself against her, Michelle gasping from the intensity of it as she pulls him closer-- hands rifling through his hair and his tongue slipping into her mouth as they consume each other.

Michelle’s heartbeat is pounding so loud that she’s sure the neighbors could hear it, much less Peter with his super hearing-- laughing into his mouth and feeling the smile on his face as he starts to walk her backwards.

“What are we doing?” He pants between kisses, Michelle pulling him towards her room since it was closer even if she’s not even sure they’ll make it that far.

“Do you want to stop?” Michelle answers before sucking on his bottom lip, Peter moaning in response before pressing himself even more against her-- the thrill of feeling him against her sending a spark up and down her spine. 

“Hell no,” Peter says with a laugh, Michelle huffing out another laugh that turns into a moan as Peter’s lips move from hers to her neck, hands ghosting all over her before reaching down to the place she wants him most.

Her back presses against the wall, not quite her bedroom but Michelle’s beyond caring-- Peter leaning back for a moment and searching her face.

His pupils are wide and his cheeks are flush and he’s the most beautiful damn thing she’s ever seen, a part of Michelle wondering how the hell she’d ever been so blind as to think that there wasn’t anything between them.

“Can I?” Peter asks gently, fingers over the fabric of her underwear as Michelle gasps-- nodding only to inhale sharply when Peter kisses her and then sinks down to his knees. 

As his hands gently rove over her thighs, Michelle moving her dress out of the way as he presses his mouth against her-- she glances up to the ceiling-- wondering if this was all just a dream.

She relishes the feel of Peter’s tongue against her over her underwear then, of his tongue inside her moments later-- closing her eyes as she pants out, " _Fuck_."

"We can do that too. Since we're dating and all," Peter murmurs against her thigh, Michelle laughing at his stupid joke only to gasp again when he teases a finger alongside her before pushing in-- curling it perfectly and putting his tongue back to good use.

If this was a dream, Michelle didn't even care-- her thoughts now only consumed with the feel of Peter all around her and the recognition that if this was a dream, this was one she never wanted to wake up from.

* * *

_Say you'll remember me standing in a nice dress_   
_Staring at the sunset, babe_   
_Red lips and rosy cheeks_   
_Say you'll see me again_   
_Even if it's just in your wildest dreams, ah-ha_   
_Wildest dreams, ah-ha_

**Author's Note:**

> My last PeterMJ fic of the year and what better way to do it then to end with a bang ;)
> 
> See you all in 2021 my dudes!


End file.
